About the Cabinet of Wonders

What we have here is a Cabinet of Wonders, a place where things of interest are set out, in possibly bizarre, possibly fetishistic presentation, for perusal by the discerning, who understand that presentation, and scientific interest, are all a form of magic. Peruse the index of oddities and find a room you would like to visit!

Other Oddities

About Me

I am a writer and lover of oddities. In 2007 I started the Cabinet of Wonders, a compendium of bizarre objects and interesting thoughts. A love of the Age of Reason makes me see science in the light of magic, and magic in the light of science. And over it all, wonder.

Wednesday, December 31, 2008

John Stevens sent me this fabulous video he took of a gecko moving its foot, after reading my old post on gecko feet. Please note the backwards arrangement of its joints, so that the gecko can change the angle that the setae (the tiny hairs on their foot) touch the surface with, helping to shift the way the Van der Waal's force holds them there, and thus peel their foot away. John actually posted it on YouTube at my request -- many thanks!

1 comment:

The distinction you make here between Modernism and Postmodernism is right on the money. In my academic experience, very few of my professors and fellow students acknowledge a meaningful difference between the two. Sadly, some even disregard the term "Postmodern" entirely...